22 March 2012

UGANDA : Fuba suspends Heaters players

Federation of Uganda Basketball Association (Fuba) have suspended Heaters point guard and forward Salim Ali and Michael Makiada for taking part in the Ugandan and Kenyan local leagues for Heaters and Kenya Co-operative Bank (KCB) teams.The duo, both Kenyans, played for the two local clubs in last year’s league; an act which contravenes Fuba rules and regulations. Consequently the local governing body resolved to invoke a four-match ban on them effective March 31, the day the league tips off.

“We feel they should seriously face the consequences for contravening with the Fuba act,” Fuba competitions committee chairman Joseph Manano revealed in a letter written to Heaters club.

In addition to the suspension, Heaters have also been fined shs100,000, which they have to clear before the league starts.

According to the team manager, Dennis Osikol, the pair travelled back home immediately after the league concluded but did not inform him about their motives. It wasn’t until one of the clubs, Charging Rhino, petitioned Fuba about the matter.

“Rhino had to find a way to pay back after we beat them in the face-off promotion in which they were relegated,” Osikol argued. “However, Fuba should look for a solution to centralise such issues so that in future, players avoid putting clubs in similar problems.”